Rotary engine.



'No. 7|2,709. Pater lte dNov. 4, I902. R. MGGHEGDR. v

ROTARY ENGINE.

(Application filed Dec. 7. 1901.\ (\No Model.)

3 Sheaig-Sheet I.

T/VITNESSES: '[NPENTOR W- Patented Nov. 4. I902. R. McGREGUR.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Application filed. Dec. 7, 1901.1

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

J Attorney 79'M/NVE/VTOR @mmm J No. 7l2,709. Patented Nov. 4, I902.

R. MGGHEGUR.

ROTARY ENGINE (Application filed Dec. 7, 1901.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3,

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I ,iwwlilif lllllll lllllllllll WITNESSES.-

awmaw UNITED ST TES I ATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT MGGREGO'R, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ROTARY ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 712,709, datedNovember 4, 1902. Application filed December '7 1901. Serial No. 85,085.(No model.)

. To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT ,MCGREGOR, a citizen ofthe United States,residing at New York, in the countyof Kings and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines; and, Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvementsin rotaryengines; and it has for its object, among others, to provide a simple,cheap, and improved construction of an engine which can be placed on theshafts of vessels with the present style of' engine by simply uncouplingthe present style and placing my engine on the same shaft, making thesame, preferably, as large in diameter as can be disposed between thefloor and the center of the shaft. Three engines on a shaft will givegreater power with less steam and consequently less fuel. 7

I provide efficient means for permitting access to the means foradjusting the gland of the stuffing-box when required. Further, Iprovide a sectional casing and simple means for effecting acut off atthe proper points. I admit the motive power upon one side and exhaustatvthe diametrically opposite side of the cylinder, the exhaust-portbeing formed in the base and the inlet-ports being formed in a castingat the opposite side of the cylinder. The valve-chest is formed'uponthis casting and receives the reciprocatingvalve;

The rotary piston is formedwi'th a series of concaves or pockets, onebetween each two cross-bars or partitions, which crossbars or partitionsact as cut-06s.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appearand the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

The invention is v clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings,which, with the numerals of reference marked thereon, form a part ofthis specification, and in which- Figure l is an end view of my improvedongine, with theshaft shown in section. Fig. 2 is a substantiallyvertical section through the same, with a part in elevation, withportions broken away. Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken at right anglesto Fig. 2. Fig. 4- is a face View of the rotary piston removed from.

the cylinder. Fig. 5 is a sectional detail on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout the severalviews.

Referring now to the drawings, l designates the base, having flanges 2,providing for its attachment to the flanges of the adjacent portions ofthe casting. This base is provided with the exhaust-passage 3, which, asseen best in Fig. 3, connects with the port 4, which may lead toany'desired point. This base is further provided with the horizontalflanges 5, adapted-to cooperate with a like flange on the end of thecasing, as will hereinafter appear.

6 designates one section of the casing, having the flanges 7 and 8, theformer of which coincides with the flange 2 upon one side of the case,and the'same are secured together by the bolts 9. v 10 is anothersection of the casing, having at its lower end a flange 11, coincidingwith the adjacent flange 2 of the base, the two being secured togetherby bolts 12. This section 10,0f the casing is provided at its other endwith a flange 13, as seen clearly inFigs. 1 and-2.

14 is a casting at the upper end of the cylinder, having flange l5,coinciding with the flange 13, the two flanges being secured by a bolt16. At the opposite side this casting is formed with the flange 17,coinciding with the flange 8 of the section 6 and the two flangessecured together by a bolt 18. This casting is formed with thevalve-chest 19, from which extend the ports or passage-ways 20 and 21,as seen in Fig. 2, and in this valve-chest works the double valve 22,the stem of which works through a suitable stuffing-box 23, the saidvalve being designed to be operated in any well-known manner fromthepilot-house or any other desired point. Steam is admitted through thesteam-inlet 24:, adapted to be connected with any suitable source ofsupply.

The inner walls or portions of the section 6 and 10 are provided withthe semicircular passage-ways 25. (Seen best in Figs. 2 and 5.) At theupper end these passage-ways are closed by the abutments 26, formed bythe ends of the casting 14, as seen clearly in Fig. 2. At the lower endsthese passages 25 connect with the passages 27, formed in the innerwalls of the base at the top. These passages are'tapered or inclined, asseen best in Fig. 2, so as to terminate at a distance from theexhaust-port.

The ends 28 of the cylinder are formed each in two parts, as seen bestin Fig. 1, being provided at points diametrically opposite and in linewith the shaft with flanges 29, through which pass the bolts 30, bywhich they are firmly yet detachably secured together. These sectionsare further provided with flanges 31, which coincide with the flanges 5of the base and are secured by the bolts 32 and further with flanges 33of the sections 6 and 10, the same being secured together by bolts 34.The upper section has its flange 31 coinciding with the flange 35 of thecasting 14, the two being secured together by the bolts 36. The casting14is further provided with flanges 37, which are secured to the flanges8 and 13 by bolts 38. It will thus be seen that I have provided asectional cylinder or a casing the parts of which may be readilyassembled or separated when desired and broken parts readily replaced bynew ones or repaired and then placed in position again. The ends of thecylinder are provided with openings 39, through which may be-inserted awrench 40, as shown in Fig. 3, to engage the nuts or heads 41 of thebolts 42, which pass through the flanged plates 43 to adjust thepacking44, which is interposed between the inner faces of the ends orheads of the cylinder and the adjacent faces of the piston, as seenclearly in Fig. 3, to form tight joints. The packing devices 44 areseated in recesses 45, formed in the inner faces of the heads or ends ofthe cylinder adjacent to the periphery of the same.

The piston comprises a hub 46, through which passes the shaft 47 and theweb 48, the periphery of which is enlarged, as shown at 49, and isprovided with a plurality of semicircular pockets 50. The partitions orcrossbars 51 between the pockets form cut-offs, as will be apparent.

With the parts constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbeforedescribed the operation will be apparent and, briefly stated, is asfollows: Steam is admitted through the port 21 and acting against thecross-bars or blades of the piston forces the same in the direction ofthe arrow in Fig. 2, the steam expanding into the passage 25 and thecrossbars 51 serving as cut-offs when they reach the smooth uncurvedportion of the base, as seen in Fig. 2, and exhausting through theexhaust 3. A slight movement of the valve will open the port 20 andclose the port 21, when steam will enter through the port 20 and actingupon the piston will reverse the motion of the engine, as will bereadily understood. The valve maybe readily moved,

so as to close both ports 20 and 21 and quickly stop the engine. Afnrthermovement will reverse the engine.

It will be seen from the above that I have devised a simple, cheap, yetdurable rotary engine composed'of few parts, those capable ofmanufacture at minimum cost, and the'device as a whole capable ofpropelling a vessel at greatly-accelerated speed, and while thestructural embodimentof the invention as herein disclosed is what at thepresent time I consider preferable it is evident that changes,variations, and modifications may be made without departing from thespirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages. Itherefore do not wish to restrict myself to the details of constructionherein disclosed, but reserve'the right 'to make such changes,variations,and modifications as come properly within the scope of theprotection prayed.

What I claim is known as- 1. A rotary engine comprising a cylinder, aseparatelyiormed base, a separately-formed top casting, a rotary pistonin said cylinder, an inlet at one side in said casting, and an exhaustin said base atthe diametrically oppositeside of the cylinder,substantially as described.

2. A rotary engine comprising a sectional cylinder and separately-formedbase with exhaust-passage, and a top casting with inletports and a Valvein said casting controlling such ports, and a rotary piston in saidcylinder having pockets separated by cross-bars.

3. A rotary engine comprising a sectional cylinder andseparately-formedbase with exhaust-port, and a casting at the top of thecylinder having inlet-ports and valve-chest and the ends of which formabutments, means for securing said parts-together, and a rotary pistonin said cylinder.

4. A rotary engine comprising a sectional cylinder having semicircularpassages with a casting having inlet-ports, said casting formingabutments closing the adjacent ends of said passages, and a rotarypiston having pockets separated by cross-bars.

5. In a rotary engine a cylinder provided with angle-irons andhaving-heads with openings providing access to the meansfor adj ustingthe packing and a piston in said cylinder.

6. In a rotary engine angle-irons and packing held thereby a sectionalcylinder having sectional heads provided with openings permitting accessto the adjusting devices of the packing, and means for securing saidheads and cylinder-sections together and a piston in said cylinder.

7. In a rotary engine, a base having exhaust-ports and tapered passagesand cylinder-sections' having passages coinciding therewith andmeans-for detachably securing said sections and base together and arotary piston with pockets revolubly mounted in-said cylinder.

8. In a rotary engine, a sectional cylinder having? passage-ways andbase having coin- IOO ciding tapered passages, and a casting forming thetop of. the cylinder and having portions forming abutments in saidpassages and a rotary piston in said cylinder provided with peripheralpockets.

9. In a rotary engine, a base with exhaustport and tapered passages,side sections detachably secured to the base and having coincidingpassages, and the top section detachably secured to the side sectionsand having inlet-ports and portions forming abutments in the sidepassages and a rotary piston in said cylinder having peripheral pockets.

10. In a rotary engine, a base with exhaust port and tapered passages,side sections de- ROBERT MOGREGOR.

Witnesses:

ROBERT D. MCGREGOR, J r., JEREMIAH P. APPLEGATE.

